Untitled article by Isaac Sanborn

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 29, 1867

MEETINGS IN WISCONSIN.

By Isaac Sanborn

Since returning to Cassville, Grant Co., I have held eighteen meetings with a steady increase of interest in favor of the truth, against a very strong sectarian opposition, which finally became so dragonic in its venom and spite that on the evening after last Sabbath they came up to the school-house when I was about half through my discourse, and threw three stones about as large as a man's fist through the window at me, and snapped one or two caps on a revolver at the same time. The broken glass flew all around me and on the table where I stood. I do not know that a single particle of it touched me. At least I felt none. One of the stones struck a young sister on the head about six feet in front of me, hurting her quite bad. The second struck a man on the side without harm. The third struck a brother on the opposite side of the house from the window, without harm. It was all done at the same instant. I do not think that any stone came within six feet of me. I stood broadside before the window, about ten feet from it; and I think that the angel of the Lord stood by me and delivered me, for which I praise God's holy name. It caused so much excitement among the people for about five minutes that I stopped speaking, till it was ascertained that the young sister that was hit was not seriously injured. Then I proposed that we sing and pray, which we did. I then went on and finished my sermon in peace, having no fear.

The next morning, which was yesterday, first-day, at ten A. M., we listened to Eld. Ball, Methodist local preacher, who again tried to preach down the Sabbath. And although he had been a week preparing for it, I never saw a man worse covered with confusion than he was. I could see his warmest friends blush for him. As soon as he got through, it being the day we had appointed for baptism when I was here before, we repaired immediately to the Grant river, a beautiful stream of water about two miles distant from the school-house, where twenty-three willing souls were buried with Christ by baptism into death, and raised with him to walk in newness of life. There is still quite a company of others that expect to go forward soon.

Last evening I spoke to a large company from the same text that Elder Ball spoke from in the morning, which is found in Rom. iii, 31. “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid! yea, we establish the law.” The Lord gave me much liberty in the word. The regular Methodist circuit preacher was present, but I knew it not till my meeting was entirely closed, when he came forward to make some corrections, he said, concerning some reports which he had heard. After he got through I had to correct some of his misrepresentations concerning my sermon that evening, which led him to agree to preach on next first-day, at 10 A. M., to show that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath. I am to speak in the evening. I expect much good as the result.

I commence meetings to-morrow evening, Oct. 22, in another district about seven miles from here, where some are already keeping the Sabbath as the result of my meetings here. I hope my brethren and sisters will pray that a door of utterance may be given me, that I may speak boldly, yet in meekness, the glorious truths of the third angel's message, and that the Lord may bless his word in the conversion and salvation of many precious souls in this section of country.

Here I wish to say to Bro. Ingalls, of Trempeleau, Wis., that the way the work is opening out here, I shall not be able to go to his place till after the holidays, but will go just as soon as I can. Please write me at Cassville, Grant Co., Wis.

What a hungering and thirsting for truth a little taste of the third angel's message will create in some people. Two years ago I preached one sermon in Beetown, about six miles from here, on the promises of God. A very strong, good, Methodist man, by the name of Seagraves, raised a window of the Methodist meeting-house, unfastened the door and made a fire, and, with many others, heard the sermon which set him to reading and to keeping the Sabbath. This started his wife to reading and to keeping the Sabbath, also; and last Sabbath they walked eight miles to the place of meeting. I formed a happy acquaintance with them. They heard one discourse, witnessed the baptism, and returned home rejoicing in the Lord. How wonderfully the Lord is gathering up and preparing his people for the coming of his dear Son.

We have organized a prayer and social meeting of thirty-one members, who have covenanted together by setting down their names, to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Their meetings are very interesting. There are many others who will yet become members. I pray that God may build them up firm in the faith, and that they may be “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Pet. 1, 5.

ISAAC SANBORN.

Cassville, Oct. 21, 1867.